Sunan Abu Dawood 4351 states:
“The blood of a Muslim is not lawful except for three: a murderer, an adulterer, and one who leaves the religion and separates from the community.”
This hadith is similar to one found in Sahih al-Bukhari (6878) and Sahih Muslim (1676), where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) mentions that the life of a Muslim is protected unless they commit one of these three offenses.
Interpretation and Context
1. Murder – Islamic law traditionally prescribes qisas (retributive justice) for murder, though the family of the victim may forgive the killer in exchange for diyah (blood money).
2. Adultery (Zina) – Classical Islamic law, based on hadith and juristic consensus, stipulates stoning for married individuals and lashes for the unmarried (though enforcement varies across Islamic societies).
3. Apostasy & Separation from the Community – The phrase “one who leaves the religion and separates from the community”.
